Eichel Defends Germany's Bailout
Of Holzmann as Normal Procedure

BERLIN -- German Finance Minister Hans Eichel defended the government's rescue of construction firm Philipp Holzmann AG and reserved the right for the state to intervene again.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Europe, Mr. Eichel insisted that bailouts such as last week's pledge of 250 million marks ($129.1 million or 127.8 million euros) in taxpayers' money for the troubled company were a normal part of his country's...